


Secret Santa

by RedWritingHood



Category: DCU, Green Lantern - All Media Types, Justice League - All Media Types, Wonder Woman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Jewish Character, Christmas, Diana is a beautiful person, Friendship, Gen, Gift Exchange, Jack Jordan is alive, Male-Female Friendship, Reminiscence, Secret Santa, canon Catholic character, so is Hal honestly, unhappy reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-14
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2019-02-14 16:10:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13011393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedWritingHood/pseuds/RedWritingHood
Summary: The Justice League decide to have a Secret Santa gift exchange for Christmas. Hal and Diana wind up looking for presents together.





	Secret Santa

**Author's Note:**

> I seriously debated on whether to wait on posting this until it was closer to Christmas, but what the hey. Happy holidays, guys. Or Hal-idays, as the case may be. Ha ha ha ha ha. Ha ha. Yeah...

Hal lounges back in his chair. Justice League meetings are always boring, unless it's about some new threat to Earth. Right now, it's not, and Hal would like it if Batman would stop talking about statistics or whatever already.

Thankfully, the business is concluded after another fifteen minutes, and Hal is ready to go.

Then Victor clears his throat. "There is one more thing..." Everyone looks at him and he asks, "What are we doing for Christmas?"

"Christmas?" Arthur repeats, which Barry echoes. Hal thinks that Barry probably forgot that the season for giving is just around the corner.

"Yeah, are we exchanging gifts, or...?" Vic trails off. "...No?"

Clark's head is tilted. Hal has a feeling about this...yep, he's smiling now. "That's a good idea, actually. Let's do that, if it's alright with everyone."

"I think it's a fine tradition," says Diana, and that pretty much settles it, right?

Bruce grunts. Hal can't tell if it's approval or not. Knowing him, probably the latter.

Arthur shrugs. "Whatever."

"Fine with me," Hal says. His mother was Jewish and his dad was Catholic, so their family would celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas. Well...'til Dad died. Then Mom. He actually hasn't celebrated either of those in a while...Hal shifts uncomfortably, mouth twisting.

Barry raises his hand like he's in a classroom or something. "Wait, so, do we each get everyone a gift?" he asks. "Because I'm not sure that'll work. I'm a CSI. I can't afford that many presents."

Nobody looks at Bruce.

"... How about Secret Santa?" Vic suggests.

"Oh! I've heard of that!" Diana exclaims.

"But you've never done it before," Barry guesses.

"Yes. It will be a new experience," she responds, smiling.

"Alright." Vic glances around. "So, we need some paper and a--"

There's a swift breeze as Barry disappears and reappears in a millisecond, setting pens, strips of paper and a Santa hat on the table.

"...Okay. Let's do this. Everybody, write down your names."

Hal grabs one and scribbles down _GL_ before folding it and tossing it into the hat. The others do the same, and soon enough Superman is mixing the names all together, jumbling them up. He holds out the hat. "Who's first? Diana?"

Diana reaches into the hat and plucks out a piece of paper. When she opens it, she makes a thoughtful humming sound and tucks it away. Hal won't ask where.

Next is Vic, then Barry, who has the absolute worst poker face as he glances at Hal. Hal doesn't care what he gets him, which Barry probably knows, but Hal has the feeling he's going to put plenty of thought into his gift anyway. He's just that way.

Next is Hal's turn and he pulls out a paper, scanning the...name...

...

No way. Even Hal can't be that unlucky.

The word on the paper reads _Batman_.

Hal stares. _Seriously_? Of all people, it had to be him? What the hell do you even get a billionaire vigilante who, by all accounts, thinks you're dimmer than an actual unlit lantern? What does he like? Does he like anything?

 _Here, Batman. Have a big, gift-wrapped box of_ Justice _. Merry Christmas_.

_Here you go, Batman. Adoption papers for every single orphan in the state. Go crazy._

_Hey, Batman, I couldn't figure out what you wanted, so...here's a twenty dollar gift card for Applebee's._

Yeah. None of those are happening.

"--meeting is over," Superman is saying. They must have finished while Hal wasn't paying attention. "Good luck."

Hal stands up, stretching. He's not used to sitting in a chair for hours, and it shows. _Pop-crack_ , say his thighs spitefully. _That's for leaving me waiting._

 _You're getting old_ , his back informs him.

Hal ignores them both and walks out of the room, which is empty now but for Batman and Superman.

"I think this is a good idea," Superman says behind him. Hal leaves before he can hear Batman's reply, but it probably goes something like ' _Of course you do'_ , or ' _Grunt'_.

Hal makes his way to the mess hall, where he finds Diana standing contemplatively beside the coffee machine, the steaming cup in her hand untouched. "What's up?" Hal asks, grabbing a cup for himself and filling it with the hot liquid.

She gives him a smile. "Hello, Hal. I am thinking of where I should go to find my gift. I have never had the chance to do this before, and I'm afraid I haven't an idea of where to go," she confesses.

"Oh. Huh. Yeah, that is a problem." Hal sips his coffee. "Who's name did you draw?"

"Arthur's."

"I got Bruce." _Bruce_ freakin' _Wayne_. Why? Why couldn't he have gotten Barry? He's easy to shop for. _Barry_ would have appreciated a gift card for Applebee's. "What the hell do you get a billionaire?"

Diana's lips quirk. "I'm sure he'll be happy with anything."

Or unhappy with everything. Hal can imagine getting him something and him responding with, "I already have one."

Yeah, well, screw you, Imaginary Bruce.

"How about you go shopping with me?" Hal suggests on impulse. "There's this great gift shop in my hometown. It's small, but it has a lot of unique things that we could check out. If you want to," he adds, shrugging.

"That sounds wonderful."

"Meet me in Coast tomorrow, around two?"

"Where shall I wait?"

 _Hey_. Hal isn't always late for his appointments. That would be the Flash. "Here, I'll write down the address."

 

The next morning, Hal gets up at twelve. He stayed the night in a hotel room because he'd been gone so often from Earth, the lease had run out on his apartment. Hotels are more his often-absent style now, anyway.

He brushes his teeth and takes a shower, where he lingers for a half hour simply because it's a luxury he usually can't afford in space. Afterwards, he leaves the hotel and walks to a diner for breakfast. He greets the waitress by name and makes his way to a booth by the window, where he can watch passersby. The birds flying or pecking at the ground, the squirrels scurrying across the ground, the people walking and talking and shouting and laughing. Everything is normal and calm.

It's a beautiful day in Coast City.

Hal orders a plate of eggs, bacon and toast, and afterwards spends the rest of the hour and a half with his good ol' pal, Cuppa Joe.

It really is good to be home.

Hal finishes his coffee and leaves a tip. He pays at the register and leaves, breathing in cold winter air as he walks out the door, exhaling a fog of condensation. He pauses for a moment, then turns left. He has fifteen minutes to meet Diana. He'll get there in ten.

 _See, Barry, this is how you make an appointment on time_.

 

The Flash sneezes.

" _Gesundheit_ ," says Captain Cold, sneering. "Hope you're not coming down with a _cold_ , Flash."

"Thanks," Flash replies, dodging a blast from Snart's cold gun. "Don't worry, I don't get sick."

"Fools usually don't."

"Then what does that make you?"

" _Stubborn_."

"You are that," Flash agrees, wrapping Snart in a string of Christmas lights. He steps back, admiring his handywork and ignoring the curses filling the air. "You're looking very colorful, Cold. Merry Christmas."

"I'm Jewish," Snart spits.

"Happy Hanukkah, then."

 

Hal ends up being early, but not as early as Diana. She's waiting on the sidewalk of a very familiar neighborhood, and upon seeing him, she smiles. "Hello, Hal."

"Good afternoon, Diana," he greets her. Hal's seldom seen Diana in civilan clothes, and the jeans, large jacket over a black turtleneck, and pair of sneakers strangely suit her. Hal is, as usual, wearing his dad's jacket. It's old but warm, and Hal will never stop wearing it. He'll be an eighty-year-old man, sitting in a rocking chair on a generic porch, wearing his pilot jacket and complaining about the current generation.

"It is," she replies, glancing at the houses around them. "But I am confused. Why did you wish to meet here?"

Hal's face softens with nostalgia. He knows she would accept a noncommittal answer, but she agreed to meet here with no questions, and he wants to explain. "This was my neighborhood when I was a kid." He turns and points at the house they're standing in front of. "That was my childhood home."

Diana turns as well and studies it anew. It's not particularly unique to any other house, except that her friend used to live in it, and that's enough to make it special. "It is lovely, Hal."

Hal laughs. "Thanks, but the paint's an eyesore. I don't know who's bright idea it was to use that shade of yellow." He shrugs. "Besides, it's not mine anymore." Still, she notices how his eyes linger.

"You have fond memories of this place," she says softly.

"...Some. Mostly, I remember watching the sky from my bedroom window, waiting for the planes to pass over, listening for the sound of jet engines. Waiting for the day I would turn eighteen, and I could finally join the Air Force like my dad. He used to take me flying, did you know?"

"I did not," Diana responds, smiling.

"I loved it. Up there in the clouds, it was like a dream. Like I could touch the sky." He tips his head back, staring up at the vast blue.

Diana doesn't look up. She watches him instead.

He doesn't speak for a long moment, and then he glances at her, offering a sheepish smile. "Sorry. I didn't actually bring you here to monologue."

"Don't apologize, Hal. I'm glad and honored that you chose to tell me about yourself." She touches his shoulder, expression warm, understanding. "When I was a young girl on Themyscira, I would often conjure images of what could await me beyond the island, what wonders lay just before my grasp, if I would only reach out and take hold."

"And you did. You reached out."

Diana squeezes his shoulder, smile deepening, crinkling her eyes. "So did you." She is gentle as only the strong must be. Clark has that same gentle strength. It's the kind of strength that can carry the world, or keep a child's small hand safe in theirs.

Hal wonders if he's the world or the child in this scenario, and then figures that both are probably pretty narcissistic.

"...Yeah. Yeah, I did." Hal grins. "And I touched the sky."

She grins back. "Yes."

"But seriously, there was an actual reason we came here. There's a nice gift shop just two blocks from here. My family used to visit every year. I wonder if it's still the same," he muses. Then he adds, after a little thought, "Or if it's even still there."

"Shall we go find out?"

"We shall."

It's a short walk, but enjoyable. Honestly, Hal didn't really expect to be having such a good time, but Diana is great company. He asks her if she watches any sports. It turns out she likes watching ' _the battle for the ball_ ', which after a bit of description he recognizes as football. He suspects that what she likes most about it is the brutality, in which case, he should really introduce her to hockey sometime. Boxing, too. Wrestling. Muay Thai. Oh, she'll probably love MMA.

While he was busy considering various sports, they'd reached their destination.

It's a small, quaint brownstone building, with a sign to the side proclaiming in grand red and gold font, ' _Marvolo's Marvels_ '. Then, in smaller letters below that, ' _gift shop_ '.

Hal opens the door, causing a tiny bell on the door to ring, and makes a sweeping gesture with his arm. "After you."

Diana looks amused but she humors him, walking through. Hal follows.

The inside is like every child's dream. Shelf upon shelf of toys, a nook of books, hangers with colorful clothes, and everything draped in red and gold. Christmas lights twinkle on the ceiling, red and green and white ribbons twirl on the walls. Figurines of elves, Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus welcome them with merriment and kindness upon their faces.

Diana's expression is one of utter joy. Hal is struck by the pure sense of pleasure that her elation brings him.

There's an old man at the counter who smiles when he sees them, his face creasing with deep, prominent lines. His eyes are blue and warm, friendly. "Welcome to--" He pauses, squints. "Why, Hal Jordan-- is that you?"

Hal grins back. "The one and only."

"It's been ages since I last saw you. You've gotten so tall." Marvolo's eyes move to Diana and his smile deepens, crinkling his blue eyes. "And who is this lovely young lady with you?"

Diana smiles back at him, holding out a sturdy, graceful hand to shake. "I am Diana. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Marvolo, clearly charmed, takes her hand and beams at her. "Marco Marvolo Jr., at your service. Please, call me Marvo."

"Very well, Marvo."

"Wonderful. Now, is there anything I can help you two with?" he asks, getting down to business.

Hal waves a hand. "Nah, we'll just be browsing. We're doing a Secret Santa thing with some friends of ours." He makes a face.

Marvolo chuckles. "Good luck with that."

Hal glances at Diana. "Wanna take a look around?"

"Yes," Diana accepts, and they begin their exploration.

Everything is lovely and would probably make someone a very nice present, except Hal can't see Bruce accepting any of these things with any appreciation. There is a Superman toy in a Christmas hat, though. Maybe Hal should get him that.

Hal imagines it.

" _What is this_?" Batman would ask.

" _It's Superman in a Santa hat_ ," Hal would reply. " _What, don't you like it_?"

" _Screw Superman_ ," Bruce would probably not say, as he wrapped himself in his cape and swirled away like the drama king he is at heart, " _I'm_ Batman."

Hal presses his lips together, considering. Yeah, he should probably get him something else.

 

Two hours later, Hal has looked at about a hundred different objects, and he can't imagine giving any one of them to Bruce.

Diana is currently studying a snowglobe with little sea creatures that float about if you shake it up.

"Found something?" Hal asks.

Diana sighs and sets it back on the shelf. "No. This is harder than I thought it would be," she says ruefully.

"Just, I don't know, get him a copy of The Little Mermaid and call it good."

Diana actually snorts in laughter at the suggestion. Hal never thought he would hear a sound like that from someone as dignified as the Amazon princess, but it makes him laugh, too. Maybe this is his Christmas present. A bit early, but worth it.

"I doubt he would find it amusing," she says, though the glint in her eye and smile on her face makes it clear that the same is not true for her. "Do you know what you're getting Bruce?"

"I have some Halloween decorations left over from last year," Hal jokes.

"Hal?"

The familiar voice makes Hal jolt and turn, visibly surprised. "Jack."

His brother is frowning. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm...Christmas shopping." Great. Now Hal sounds defensive. Granted, Jack's tone was somewhat accusing. But then, both are expected after how they parted last time. Jack spent his whole life taking care of their mother, and he resents the fact that Hal took off the moment he turned eighteen, to become a pilot like their dad, no less. All of this despite his mother's wishes, and the warnings that he could never see her again as long as he was in the Air Force.

None of them understood. Hal belonged, belongs in the sky. Or maybe Mom did understand, and that's what scared her so much.

She died before Hal could speak to her again.

Diana has noticed the tension. She touches Hal's arm, looking concerned. _Damn_. He should have taken her here at a different time. She shouldn't have to get mixed up in his family drama. "Hal?" she says softly.

Jack's eyes move to her, and his mouth sets in a thin line beneath his mustache. "Who is this?"

Hal doesn't want to introduce them, but he doesn't want to seem like he's ashamed, either. "This is my friend, Diana. Diana, this is my brother... Jack."

"Hello," she says politely, gaze watchful. She can tell this isn't a happy reunion. Hal doesn't know if any reunion with Jack will ever be happy.

"Your 'friend'. Right." Before Hal can say anything, Jack dismisses Diana, eyeing Hal bitterly. "You know, after Mom died, I thought you'd have the decency not to show up around here anymore. I guess I was wrong, but you've always been selfish, Hal."

It's nothing Jack hasn't said before in different ways, but Hal feels himself flush. Diana's eyes on him burn just as much as the color in his face does. "This is my hometown too, Jack."

"Not anymore," Jack responds flatly. "Not since you left and Mom withered away with worry for you."

Hal swallows past the sudden tightness in his throat. "That wasn't...I'm sorry about that. I am. But I'm not sorry for joining the Air Force." He's just sorry that it led to such a rift between him and his family.

Jack's jaw is clenched, his narrow stare accusing. "Then why come back after all this time?"

"I told you, I'm Christmas shopping with my friend." Hal sighs. "Listen, can we not do this now? I just want to get my present, and then I'll go."

"No," says Diana.

Jack blinks, surprised. Hal has a feeling he has the same expression on his face.

Diana stands with her back straight, immovable as a mountain. "Jack Jordan, you will not drive away your brother. Hal, you will not go unless it is your desire, and yours alone."

"Diana-- you don't have to--"

"Hal." Diana turns her head to study a nearby Green Lantern action figure, which, fittingly enough considering the season, has a Santa hat on his head. She smiles and picks it up, only to take Hal's hand and press it to his palm. "I did not think you were the sort to let yourself be pushed around, Hal Jordan."

Hal looks down at the action figure. He brushes his thumb along the green uniform. And smiles. "I think I'd like to buy this," he muses.

Diana walks over to the shelf at which she'd left the sea-themed snowglobe and picks it up again. "I think I'll get this as well."

"Great." Hal hesitates, glancing at Jack. After a moment, he blows out a breath. "Listen, I-- I don't...hate you, Jack. I know we don't get along, but you're...you're my brother. Merry Christmas." Hal walks to the cash register, where he and Diana both pay for their gifts. Jack doesn't say anything even as they're leaving.

Then they're outside, and a light snow is falling.

"It is magical," Diana murmurs, reaching out to catch the fluttering flakes. "I had never seen snow before I left the island."

"Yeah? How was your first Christmas?"

Diana's mouth curves gently, eyes bright. "Wondrous." Hal laughs, and they continue walking. "And you? What was your first Christmas like?

" Oh...wow. That was so long ago. I barely remember." Hal considers, recalling, "That was back when I was seven and Jim-- my kid brother-- was five. Jack was ten, too old and 'cool' to hang with us babies." Hal grins. "It had snowed all night, so that morning, everything was covered in white. It was breathtaking. Jim and I were ecstatic. Jack tried to act like he didn't care, but he was excited, too. Mom made us hot chocolate, then Dad took us all to the park to play in the snow." His smile softens. "That was a good day."

"It sounds lovely. Your younger brother-- do you get along with him?"

"Yeah. In fact, he knows I'm Green Lantern. I go over to his house whenever I have the time so I can hang out with my niece and nephews."

Diana's lights up. "You have a niece and nephews? How old?"

"Howie's nine, Jane is eight and Arthur is seven. I can bring you to meet them sometime," Hal offers. "I'll bet they'd love that."

Diana looks delighted. "I would love it as well."

"We'll make a plan, then." Hal pauses in the midst of their walk and glances down at the Green Lantern action figure. "You know...back there, in the shop...I know that was supposed to be a moment and all...but this is Guy. And also, I still haven't gotten Batman his present."

* * *

 

 

Bruce looks down in revulsion at the unwrapped Guy Gardner action figure in his hand.

Hal thinks that actually, getting that toy was a pretty good idea.

**Author's Note:**

> Canonically, Hal's father was Catholic while his mother was Jewish, which is shown in The Darkseid War (wherein Hal becomes the God of Light, and it's amazing).
> 
> Also, if you're wondering about the others' gifts, Barry got Hal a scarf, Clark got Diana a sweater, Arthur got Barry coupons for an all-you-can-eat buffet, Bruce got Victor private seats to a football game and Victor got Clark a new coat.
> 
>  
> 
> Deck the Hals with boughs of Hal-ly, Hal-la-la-la-la, Hal-la-la-la
> 
> (I may need to go to bed soon)
> 
> (Merry Christmas)
> 
> (Or Hanukkah)
> 
> (Or whichever word you prefer)


End file.
